STORY EXCERPT

“Well, it would take a strong man to tame that brother of mine. I’m not sure mating would cure him of his wanderlust either, so it is fortunate you are both of the same mind, no?”

Ilno chuckled. “You are right. And on that note, I will go over and introduce myself.”

“Good luck, my friend. You will need it,” Galen said with a chuckle, watching Ilno stride toward his brother. Shaking his head, Galen turned around, walking away and leaving the two to their devices.

Ilno strode into the field of plants but paused a short distance, mesmerized by his mate who was busy growing the plants around him. The Earth Faes were so in tune with the earth that they could wield it both as a weapon and for healing. However, only a few growers existed. The majority of them were warriors and their healers few and far between.

Their healers were also growers, able to coax and summon their energy in such a manner that could cause anything planted to grow. Watching his fated mate work with dedication and undivided attention was truly a sight to behold. That the man had not even noticed his presence proved his passion but in an unfavorable circumstance could prove dangerous.

Never had Ilno expected this journey to lead to him meeting his mate. In fact, he had given up on the notion but seeing the young man before him made his heart pound and race. Unable to stay still anymore, Ilno stepped forward until he was right behind Ciran, but before he touched the man with his outstretched hand, he felt the earth shift beneath his feet.

The solid ground had given way into quicksand, sucking him down and a startled cry tore from his lips. The earth sucked him in faster than he could comprehend what was happening to him, and it wasn’t long before he was in up to his waist. Falling forward, he dropped his hands to the solid ground in front of him, using pressure in his hands to keep from sinking in deeper.

Ciran had turned to see his assailant when the man cried out, and satisfied that the man could not move to harm him, he stopped, leaving the man submerged up to his waist in the earth. With his hands folded over his chest, he cocked his head to one side, examining the man who had been intent on taking him by surprise.

Ilno, on the other hand, was still trying to keep from sinking deeper, panic making him unaware that he had stopped moving and his mate was the one who had done this to him.

“You will only hurt yourself if you keep moving. Now who are you and what do you want?” Ciran asked. His voice was low and sultry, a totally contradiction to his actions but a few minutes ago.

Stumped, Ilno stopped moving then glanced up to look into the serene face of his mate. The man looked so innocent it was shocking to believe he was the one who had done this to him. As far as first meetings went with one’s mate, this definitely took the cake. The entire situation was too much for him, and he broke into laughter, startling his mate but unable to help himself. His mate looked like a perfectly harmless Fae, but his looks were extremely deceptive.

“What are you doing? Why are you laughing?” Ciran demanded, a frown marring his features.

Ilno could not stop to answer his mate. Instead, he just kept on laughing, and the annoyance on his mate’s gorgeous face just made him all the more appealing and amusing. Ilno watched his mate tap his feet on the floor and narrow his eyes at him. Before he knew what was happening again, he felt himself sinking once more into the earth, and that brought him out of his hysterical laughter faster than anything else.

The feeling of dissolving through mud but knowing that it was just a matter of time before that mud stiffened up and turned to concrete around his body snapped him back into reality. Cursing up a storm, he yelled for the man to stop.

A gleeful smile spread across Ciran’s face, and he clapped his hands. “Not so funny anymore, is it, or are you still amused?”

“Stop this goddamn thing right now and let me go!” Ilno yelled, too angry to bother to remember that he was talking to his fated mate.

ADULT EXCERPT

Ciran and Ilno stumbled into Ciran’s bedroom, the door slamming behind them and Ciran pinning him to it. Ciran slammed his mouth down on Ilno’s, taking it in a desperate kiss and pinning the man’s hands above his head. Ilno moaned and slid his eyes closed, relishing the assault his mate was making on his body.

The man could kiss. And he kissed so good, Ilno felt like melting into a puddle on the floor. The kiss went on and on, and Ilno felt all his senses waking up and standing at attention. Their passion, which had been suppressed for two months whilst they held it in so as not to interfere with their bond, unleashed and they were a mess together.

Ciran held Ilno close to his body and began walking backward toward the bed in his room, all the while never breaking the kiss and peeling off the clothes on Ilno’s body. A tearing sound filled the room, but neither bothered to stop to see what that was. They didn’t care as long as they had naked flesh-on-flesh contact and could satisfy the burning need in them.

When they were finally naked together, Ciran broke the kiss, lifted Ilno into his arms, and carried the man then dumped him on the bed, watching him bounce on it a few times. Then falling on top of him and with a rakish grin, he began nuzzling Ilno’s neck.

“You smell so damn good,” Ciran whispered, inhaling deeply with his eyes closed.

Ciran trailed kisses up Ilno’s neck to his chin then began peppering kisses all over his face until finally taking Ilno’s mouth in another kiss, holding on to his face to give him better access. Settled comfortably between his mate’s legs, Ciran plunged his tongue into Ilno’s mouth, feeling satisfaction when the man moaned deeply, unable to control the reaction of his body.

Ilno gave as much as he received, kissing Ciran back fervently and holding on to Ciran with his hands wrapped around the naked body atop his. He stroked Ciran’s strong back, feeling the back muscles, though not overtly defined, come into play with every movement Ciran made.

“Make love to me, Ciran,” Ilno said, fevered with desire.

“I plan to,” Ciran said before kissing down Ilno’s body.

He trailed wet kisses on Ilno’s shoulders, chest, and finally took one erect nipple in his mouth. He swirled the small nub in the moist heat of his mouth before gently biting down on it and sucking and laving at it. It wasn’t long before cries of pleasure filled the room and Ilno arched up towards Ciran, silently demanding more.

Ciran pinched the other nipple, playing with it and tugging on it as he paid much attention to the nipple in his mouth. Ciran gave the nipple one last lick before peppering kisses on Ilno’s chest and moving onto the other nipple.

“Ciran!” Ilno cried, moaning with his eyes closed and the sheet bunched in his fist.

Ciran laved at the other nipple, sucking hard on it then withdrawing to pinch the sensitive flesh, sending pleasure tension through Ilno’s body. He brought his mouth back down on the nipple, and Ilno was a thrashing mess on the bed, his hands digging into Ciran’s nape.

Ciran pulled back and leaned away, staring at his mate’s flushed face. The man was totally beautiful, and Ciran voiced his opinion on that, mumbling, “Beautiful…exquisite…mine,” as he peppered kisses down Ilno’s body, slithering down and licking Ilno’s stomach, dipping his tongue into the man’s navel and swirling it. He bit gently on Ilno’s waist and hipbone before licking the slight sting away and groaning at the restrain he was showing.

He wanted to worship Ilno’s entire body, letting the man see how far his emotions ran since meeting the man months ago. That they had waited to this point, painstakingly abstaining from anything that would prove too much of a temptation, proved how much dedicated he was to the man beneath him. 

“Ciran…” Ilno whimpered, silently asking the man for what he wanted.

“What do you want, Ilno?” Ciran asking, kissing every inch around Ilno’s thighs and hips without venturing closer to where he knew the man was desperate to have him.

“You…please!” Ilno said, his words becoming incoherent in passion.

“Where do you want me?” Ciran asked teasingly as he continued kissing and sucking at the junction of Ilno’s inner thigh and hips.